The president needed it. Six of his endorsed candidates had lost Republican primaries this month, and his picks for governor in Georgia, Iowa and Minnesota all fell earlier this year. With midterms just over two months away, the South Carolina result gives wavering Republicans a fresh reminder of what crossing Trump can cost.
A Senator Built From Scratch
Graham's entire political career is nine weeks old, and every step of it bears Trump's fingerprints. After Lindsey Graham died in July, Trump lobbied Gov. Henry McMaster to appoint her to the vacancy. Three days after she was sworn in, he publicly urged her to seek a full six-year term. When the August 11 primary left her vulnerable, with just under 33 percent of the vote, he went to Myrtle Beach himself and told Republicans: "Pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot." His super PAC, MAGA Inc., disclosed spending more than $827,000 on her behalf.
The investment was riskier than most of his endorsements. Graham had never held office, and her inexperience showed in a debate this month when she declined to answer a question on Taiwan, saying national security was "not my thing." Norman, meanwhile, carried the baggage Trump cares about most: he had endorsed and campaigned with Nikki Haley against Trump in 2024.
"South Carolina is truly Trump country," Graham told supporters Tuesday night. Norman was blunter: "I never understood why he got in this race. But it is what it is, and I'll accept it."
Graham now faces Democratic pediatrician Annie Andrews in November and is heavily favored in the deep-red state. Andrews has already challenged her to three televised debates, arguing that "no appointment, endorsement, or family connection entitles anyone to six years" in the Senate.
Oklahoma Came Down to Two Points
Trump's second win of the night was even tighter. Former state Sen. Mike Mazzei edged Attorney General Gentner Drummond by roughly two thousand votes, 50.3 to 49.7 percent, in the Republican runoff for governor. Mazzei will face Democrat Cyndi Munson, the state House minority leader, for the seat of term-limited Gov. Kevin Stitt.
The race split over a $4 billion aluminum smelter planned for the Tulsa Port of Inola, a project Trump has championed as bringing about 1,000 jobs. Drummond sued to block its construction, citing local concerns about pollution and the livestock economy. The primary result keeps the project's strongest ally on the ballot.
Georgia Democrats Fill a Seat, Briefly
In a low-turnout special runoff for Georgia's 13th District, Everton Blair defeated Marcye Scott, daughter of the late Rep. David Scott, whose death in April vacated the seat. Blair, a former Gwinnett County school board chair, becomes the first out gay member of Congress from Georgia and campaigned as a sharper opponent to Trump than the Scott family's centrist tradition.
His stay will be short. Blair finished third in the regular primary, so state lawmaker Jasmine Clark carries the Democratic banner for the full term in November. Until then, his win joins last week's California special election in narrowing the House Republican majority a little further.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who won the South Carolina Senate runoff?
- Darline Graham, sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and Trump's endorsed pick, defeated Rep. Ralph Norman with 52.5 percent of the vote. She faces Democrat Annie Andrews in November.
- Why was the race important for Trump?
- Six of his endorsed candidates had lost Republican primaries this month. He invested heavily in Graham, including a Myrtle Beach rally and more than $827,000 in super PAC spending, making the runoff a high-profile test of his influence.
- Who won the Oklahoma governor's runoff?
- Former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, Trump's pick, narrowly beat Attorney General Gentner Drummond, 50.3 to 49.7 percent. He faces Democrat Cyndi Munson in November.
- What happened in Georgia's special election?
- Democrat Everton Blair won the vacant 13th District House seat, becoming Georgia's first out gay member of Congress. He serves only until January, since Jasmine Clark is the Democratic nominee for the full term.
